Food supplies for looking after your staff in isolated environments

When your staff are put into an isolated environment, whether through their work or the result of an emergency, having a good food supply is crucial. It’s important to provide employees with food that caters for their needs and won’t be affected by the conditions of the environment they’re in.

To supply the right foods for your employees either in an emergency or in an isolated environment there are a number of things to keep in mind.

Isolated environments and extreme conditions

There are many situations and environments where your staff should have ample food supplies to keep them well fed during their day-to-day work. This includes environments that are:

Out at sea – For instance, a team working on a large fishing trawler or offshore oil rig

Underground or underwater – Such as miners or staff operating a submarine

In extreme climates – This could include research stations for archaeologists working in the desert, or a team conducting polar science in the Antarctic

When thinking about what food supplies to provide your staff in different environments, you should consider the extreme conditions that each location has. These are environments they might have to work and live in for long periods of time.

As well as being isolated and away from available food and water they might also have to cope with working:

For long periods in confined spaces

In extreme hot or cold temperatures

With very short breaks and little sleep, due to small teams and ongoing tasks

These extreme conditions might also mean there is little power for refrigeration or for freezing food, and little space for cooking and catering equipment. In these situations, it’s important to have access to food that can be stored easily and doesn’t require a lot of equipment to prepare.

Emergency situations at work

Another example of an isolated environment, but one that can affect the staff of any business, is when an emergency situation develops. For instance, when employees become trapped in their place of work because it is too dangerous to leave the premises, or they are unable to.

This could include cases of extreme weather, like a severe storm or hurricane, or a natural disaster like a flood or earthquake. Or it could be an incident where local police have warned businesses in your area to stay in their offices to keep safe, such as a terrorist alert.

In such instances, it’s wise to have an emergency supply of food that staff can access in case they are trapped in their workplace for longer than normal and require food.

The right foods for isolated environments

When considering the food supply for any isolated environment – whether it’s where your staff work or if it’s a location that they have become trapped because of an emergency – there are different things to think about to ensure you provide the right foods.

Preparation and energy

As time can be of the essence for all staff, it’s wise to have a stored supply of food that involves little preparation to cook and eat. This could include ready-to-eat foods or dehydrated meals where only adding water is required.

It’s also important to keep staff healthy, motivated and their energy levels up, whether that’s through hours of work with little rest, or to help keep trapped employees calm and focussed. Foods that can help with this are packed with nutrition, high carbohydrates and good amounts of protein.

Storage and shelf life

To allow food supplies to be kept in isolated, confined spaces, you should consider products that can be easily stored. This includes foods that don’t take up too much room and don’t need to be kept in a fridge or freezer. Examples include packet foods, as well as tinned and dehydrated products.

As staff can be in an isolated environment for a long period of time, you should also consider food that has a long shelf live. Having a long expiry date means food can be kept and used during the full duration that staff might have to work and live in that environment, which can be months at a time. It also means the food can be stored long-term at a company to make sure its staff are provided for if an emergency situation develops.

Helping to provide food supplies for your staff

Having the right food supply for your staff, whether they’re working in an isolated environment like an offshore oil rig, or are thrown into an emergency situation at work, is key to keeping them well-fed, healthy and safe.

This is where Fuel Your Preparation can help. The range of freeze-dried foods we provide, which come with quality ingredients, are ideal for staff in any isolated environment.

Our products are:

Nutritious – Foods are bursting with carbohydrates and protein to make you feel warm and full of energy

Easy to prepare – You only need to add water, then just wait for the meal to rehydrate

Expertly cooked – Products are cooked before they’re freeze-dried to ensure they taste great

Long shelf life – Pouches last for seven years and tinned products keep for 25 years

With a range of flavours, textures and tastes to choose from, our products will ensure your staff have got exactly what they need when in any challenging environment, however isolated it is.

If you’d like to find out more about our range of freeze-dried foods, take a look at our meals page or contact us to speak to a member of our team.